Swarm of bees on Charlotte plane turbine had passengers buzzing over delays
Passengers were left buzzing on an American Airlines flight at Charlotte Douglas International Airport last week when they learned an engine problem would delay their flight.
It probably stung less when they found out it was because a swarm of bees was also trying to hitch a ride to San Francisco on one of the plane’s turbines.
The bee swarm was recorded by a passenger who said the flight to the Bay Area was delayed by about an hour as someone removed the bees from the turbine, Charlotte Observer news partner WSOC reported.
American Airlines did not return a call to The Observer requesting more information. But videos posted on Instagram showed someone scooping up the bees from the turbine and into a wooden beekeeper’s box.
This story was originally published April 6, 2026 at 4:27 PM.
